Conveying apparatus



Nov. 10, 1931. R. w. BAKER 1,831,283

' CONVEYING APPARATUS Filed Aug. 13. 1928 5 Sheets-sheet 1 NOV. 10, 1931.` y R, W BAKER 1,831,283

CONVEYING APPARATUS A l 4 einem,

Msn/5 \/50 dei PAM/r 60a nl Nov. 1o, 1931.

R. W. BAKER CONVEYING APPARATUS Filed Aug. 13, 1928 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 M w f m T1 um f f E /W m m Hf w M WMU m TMW w f, mf .o 4 fir/ i, ,mni L N M EW m y ma 4 0 a a i w w 4 l ,....HHM k U :m L :n J Y Nov. l0, 1931. R. w. BAKER f 1,831,283

CONVEYING APPARATUS Filed Aug. 13, 1928 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 mm W y a 4 MM2 ...d 0 0 C/ .a 9 F mv 6 u ma w m/,Hu 0 3 W ml m mm O a n N m /w A/ m w 4a 4 y, w32 M n h IF.. .ik #ww/a c n Patented Nev. 1o, 1931 UNITED STATES RUSSELL W. BAKER, 0F ANDERSON,- INDIANA,

ASSIGNOB TOv DELCO-REMY CORPORA- TION, OF 'DAYTON, OHIO, A CORPORATION 0F DELAWARE OONVEYE'G APPARATUS l Application mea august 1a, 192s. serial no. 299,253.

This invention relates to Work handling apparatus, and particularly to the handling of stacks of tubular bodies, such as the field frames of dynamos. More particularly, the present 'invention relates to improvements in the work handling apparatus shown in the patent of Rodger J. Emmert, No. 1,753,560,

' issuedA. ril 8, 1930.

In the i. of the objects of t e invention is to convey work pieces with a minimum of manual labor and supervision, successively, to various devices which operate upon the work pieces. In' carrying out this object, the invention u provides an endless-conveyor having a. plurality of carriages for receiving stacks of work pieces, a loading platform and an unloadin platform. Work pieces are stacked upon the loading platformand are automatim call transferred to the carria adjacent the loading table. After the wor pieces on the carria have been operated upon, and it is desirede to remove them from the conve or, the carriage moves adjacent an unloa ing platform and the work pieces on the carriage are automatically transferred from the carriage to the unloading platform.

One of the objects of the present -invention is to provide certain improvements in the carriages or hangers for receiving the stacks of work pieces whereby the latches which retain the work pieces upon the hangers Aare positively locked in operative osition in order to avoid the possibility of t e work pieces dropping from the hangers while they are being transferred from the loading platform to the unloading platform. In this connection, it is a further object of the invention to' provide improvements in the loading platform whereby the latches will be automatically moved into retaining position and will be automatically locked in retaining position during movement of the loading platform upwardly toward the hanger. A further object of the invention is to provide improvements in the unloading platform, whereby during upward movement of the unloading platform to receive the work pieces, the-latches will be unlocked and then moved into position for mmert application referred to, one

plan of the work handling apparatus included in the present invention. F Fig. 3 is a sectional view on the line 3-3 of ig. 1. j Fig. 4 is a sectional view on the line Lw-4c of Fig. 2. l

Fig. 5 is a side elevation of a conveyor carriage, showing the conveyor'track in crosssection, and showing cert-ain parts of the carriage in section.

Fig. 6 is a view in the direction of arrow 6 j in Fig. 5.

Figs. 7, 8 and 9 are fragmentary, vertical, sectional views of the hangerv andelevating platform showing, respectively, the latches in nonretaning position 4the latches in ref taining position Vbut not locked, and the latches in retaining position and locked.

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary, vertical, sectional view of the hanger and unloadin latforxn showing the latches in non-reta1n1ng position and locked in said position.

Figs. 11 and l2 are side views partly in section, showing respectively how the load ing and unloading platformscooperate with the carriages.

Fig. 13 is a sectional view on the line 13e-3V Y Referring first to Figs. 1 and 2 ',"the'een,` veyor comprises an endless chain' represented by the broken line 20. The chain lis rove around a` changing t ulley 26 1s 'the take-up pulley and is slidab y mounted, and

luralityof s rocket wheeler for' e direction o the chain. One of these wheels is indicated at 21 in Fig. 1, and

no the upper sides of nuts 39 thre its axisl is connected by a cable 27 which passes around a suitably mounted pulle 28 and thence downwardly to a weight 29 w ich maintains the conveyor chain 20 undertension.

The conveyor chain moves a plurality of hangers 30, each including a bracket 31 car-fl 4 1| The bracket 31 supports two bolts 36 which pass through holes inlthe adjacent chain links 20a, as shown in Fig. 6. The lower ends of the bolts 36 pass through a plate 37 having a lug 38; and plate 37 is sup orted upon i edly engaging the lower` ends of bolts 36. The lug 38 carries a pin 4() passing through the branches of a swivel link 41, the yoke of which is perforated to receive a bolt 42. The upper end of i6 the bolt 42 threadedly engages'a nut 43, and nut 43 rests on a washer 44 supported by a boss 45 integral with the yoke of link 41. The rod 4211s connected wlth a gear 46 by pin 47 and the hub 48 of the gear 46 is provided with a flange 49 at its lower end. Spacing bars 50.connect the flange 49 with a latch frame 51 having its lower edge beveled to provide a conical surface 52. The latch frame is tubular and is provided with diametrically opposite notches 53,A each for receiving` a latch lever 54 supported b a in 55 which extends across the notch 53. ac lever 54 is movable into the full-line position shown in Fig. 5, or to the dotted-line position 54a. latches 54 are positively locked in non-.o erating position as shown in Fig. 7 by ab ock 456 which moves by gravity into notches 545 provided by the latches. The block 56 is slidable along a stud 57 attached to a block 58 which is guided b the walls of a recess 59 within the latcliV rame 51. The latches 54 are locked in work retaining position shown in Fig. due to the fact that the lower edge of the block 58 is received by notchesy 54d. provided by the latches. The operation of the lockingblocks 56 and 58 will be described later. l

The hangers are adapted to cooperate `with the elevating platform of the loading table 60, shown diagrammatically in Fig. 2, or with the transfer latform of the unloadin table 61, indicated) in Fig. 1. The loading ta le 60 willfirst be described with reference to Fig. 11. The table 60 includes a topt62 si es 63 and angle iron legs 64 which are se cured by `angle bracket 65 to the floor 66.

`tubular extension 79 w ich operates to move su ported by a frame work of angle iron.

which reciprocates in a cylinder 71 attached by bolts 72 to the flan e 73 of the guide bracket 67. The cylinder 1 is also supported by a clamp bracket 74 supportedl by the floor 66. The rod 69 is threadedly connected with a screw 76 which is attached to elevatinG platform 75 providing an annular ledge 77 for receiving a stack of cylindrical' work pieces or dynamo field frames 80. The head of the screw 76 is provided with a -conical portion 75 78 for the purpose of enga g the latches 54 f in order to move them gdm the position shown in Fig. 7 to 'the position shown in Fig.

8. The yscrew 76 is rovided also with a 80 the locking block 56 upwardly awa from the latches '54 asshown in Fig. 8. en the elevating platform 75 is retracted from the hanger as shown in Fig. 9 the latches 54 will be positively locked in position for retaining the work pieces 80 by the locking block 58 which has moved by gravity from theposition shown in Fig. 8 to the positionA shown in Fi 9 so that its lower edge will be re-v ceive by`the notches 54d provided by the latches. The locking block 56 is inoperative as it merely rests upon the lugs 54e of the latches 54. s

The unloading`-table 61 diiiers from the loading table 60 in that the piston rod 69 associated therewith is threadedly connected with a screw 176 attached to a 'lowerin platform. `17 5 provided with a ledge 177 or receiving the work pieces 80, when released. The work pieces 80 are guided onto the ledge 177 `by reasonl of the laring conical surface 178. During upward movement of the transfer platform 175 to receive the work pieces, the upper end portion 179 of the screw 17 6 will engage the stud 57 and will move the same upwardly into the positionshown in Fig. 10 thereby moving the locking block .58 upwardly in order to release the latches 54. While this is going on a collar 180 will be yieldinglypressed upwardly by a spring 183 against the latches 54 in'order to move them from the position shown in Fig. 9 to the osition'shown in Fig. 10. Separation of t e collar 180 from the screw extension 179 is limited by a pin 181 extending diametrically acrossthe 'screw 4extension 179i-- and having its ends received by the slots 182 L l in the collar 180. .Movement of the latches "if 54 into theposition shown in FigflOf will move the latch extensions 540 away from the lockingl block 56`to'- permit the latter to de scend into the notches 545 of the latches 54.. '2 'f Thus the unloading transfer platform causes x f the latches to be automatically locked in non latching 'tion. Reerrmg again to Fig. 11',Vv the admissim'rf of fluid pressure 'to the lower end of thejff..

cylinder 71, is controlled by a valve having rim intake port 91 connected"with a com'-` pressed air inlet 92. The port 91 includes a' l" valve seat for receiving an inlet valve 93 controlling the admission of fluid ,to the chamber 94 which is connected by a pipe 95 withthe lower end of the cylinder 71. y When the valve 93 is in closed position, an exhaust valve 96 is separated from its seat in order to pro- "vide for the passage of fluid from the c linder 71 through pipe 95, chamber 94 an out through an exhaust passage 97.' f Thevalves 93 and 96 are integral with, or connected with, a valve stem 98 having cylindrical portions 99 and 100 which are guided by the frame of valve 90. The valve93 is normally closed and the valve96 is normall tained open by a spring 101 which ars at its lower end a ainst a bracket 102 and atits upper end against a nut 103 threadedly'con# nected with the rod 98. The bracket/102 also provides a guide for the stem 98. nut 104 isthreadedl connected with 'the stem 98 and receives a block 105 carrying diametricallyopposite pins 106. Each pin-106 is connected with a branch 107 of a fork' lever 108, which cooperates as an armature with an electromagnet 109. It'is apparent that when the 5 ma et 109 is energized, the armature 108 ll'be pulled downwardly to cause the valve 93 to open and the valve 94 to close. When this occurs, air under pressure will be delivered to the cylinder 71 to cause the transfer tablex75 or 175 to be elevated, so as to transfer Vthe work to the hanger or from the hanger, depending on whether the hanger 1s 'at tne loading station or at the unloading station.

The admission and'exhaust of compressed v air from the-upper end of each of the cylinvders 71 is controlled by a valve 90a, similar to valve 90, and controlled by an electromagnet109a which is energized simultaneously with thefnagnet 109 controlling the same cylinder. A pipe 95a leading to the upper end of .each cylinder 71 1s connected with valve 90a at the middle side opening normal lower end w en lthe magnets are deenergized and the springs I101 and 101a'return the valve .members 93 and 93a, respectively, to their 'ositiona The circuit of the magnets 109 and 109a,

controlling thel loading platform 7 5,l .is controlledbya switch 1 10 shown in Fig. 1 and operated by a star-wheel 120 ada ted to be engaged'and moved by the hanger racket 31.

main- Referring more articularl to Figs. 11 and 12, it will be notedj and the unloading table 61, and controls therefor, are identical, the only difference being in the construction of the transfer'platforms 75 and 175. As the hanger 30, shown in Fig. 11, moves in the direction of the arrow 140, it will operate the switch star-wheel 120 so as to cause the magnets 109 and 10911 to be ener ized to cause the platform 75 to be elevated. The switch 110 is located rela'- chat the oading able-'60 tive to the loading table so that when air'is admitted to the cylinder 71, the hanger 30 will be located substantially vertically above the transfer latform 7 5 as shown dia amvxnatically in ig. 2. The wheel 120 will operate first to close the switch so that the transfer platform will move u wardly as represented in Figs. 7 and 11 andJ into the position ,shown in Fig. 8. The camming portion 78 thereof will enga the latchlevers 54.- to move them from t e position shown in Figs. 7 and 11 to ther position shown in Fig. 8, thereb causing the levers to engage thelower e ge of the lowest one of the stack of tubular bodies and causingthe levers to be locked in retaining position, As

thus be elevated the hanger 30 travels still further in the div i rection of the arrow 140, the switch wheel 1201` will operate to open the switch, thereby causif' ing the platform 75 to descend so that an'- other stack of work pieces 80 may be loaded thereon before the next hanger 30 has been moved adjacent the loading table 60.

The unloading apparatus works in' a manner opposite from that of the loading apparatus. The hanger 30 moves a switch wheel 120 which controls a pair of magnets 109 and 109e, controlling valves 90 and 90a in the manner described in connection with the loading table 60, but the u ward movement of the sleeve 180 of the un oading platform 175 with the latching levers 54 causes them i to be moved from the position shown in Fig. i 12 to the position shown in Fig. 10 so thatl they will no longer retain the stack of work pieces 80 upon the hanger 30. Therefore,

when the switch wheel located adjacent the unloading table 61 is operated by a hanger 30 to open the magnet circuits, the transfer platform will be caused to descend and carry with it the stack off work pieces ,80'

which are removed therefrom before the next hanger, laden-with work ieces, conie'svertically adjacent the unloa ing table 61." l.

'In order to facilitate the stacking of vwork pieces 80 -upon the elevating platforml 7 5, the` table 60 is provided with an angle `bar guide set in a vertical position as shown in Figs. v11 and 13. The angle bar guide190is so" located that thework pieceswill be stacked vertically when'theyare'placed against the leg of the anglebar. Adjacent its up er end, 'l the angle bar190 supports arms 192 w ich are pivoted at 191` 'and which are urged by coi1- iso l i springs 193 in opposite directions and toward the stack of work pieces. These arms operate to guide the work pieces onto the hanger during the upward movement of the elevating table 75. The operator may place the lower end of a hanger, which is travelling empty toward the elevating table, between the arms 192 so that these arms will be oper-v chines. A workman stands adjacent the loading table 60 and places on the loading transfer platform 75 a stack of live field frames. These frames are transferred automatically to one of the hangers 30 in the manner described, and the conveying chain 20 moves the hangers 30 in the direction of the arrows 141 first throu h a washer 1,50, 'which cleans the exteriors o the field frames preparatory to taking a coat of paint, and then through a paint booth 151. As each hanger 30 moves through the paint booth 151, its gear 46 engages a rack 152 suspended within the paint booth in such a manner as to engage the gear 46. As the hanger 30 is pulled through the paint booth 151, the gear 46 and thework pieces 80 will be rotated so as to facilitate `the application of paint to the exteriors of the work pieces by means of an air brush. Then the work pieces are conveyed through an inlet door 161 of a drying oven 160, which is heated by hot air entering through a duct 163, assing around baiiles 160e, and passing out t rough a duct 164 in the top of the oven. The work pieces are carried from the inlet opening 161 slowly toward the hottest part of the oven, durlng which time they are heated by work pieces which are travelling from the hottest part toward the outlet door 162. As each hanger comes to a certain point adjacent theunloading table 61, the switch wheel 120 adjacent thereto is operated`to cause the transfer platform 75a to function in the manner described in order to remove the work pieces automatically from the hanger. The empty hangers move in the direction of arrows 142 to the loading table 60.

lt is apparent by means of the present invention that a large number of work pieces can be rapidly conveyed from a table upon which they are stacked, to a series of devices where the pieces are operated upon. The only manipulation required is that of stacking the pieces upon the loading table and removing them from the unloading table. The stacking of work pieces at the loading table is performed by the inspector who is normally employed to inspect the work pieces just before they are ready to be painted, in order to determine whether the are fit to be painted or should be rejected. he work pieces are y removed from the transfer platform at the unloading table by the inspector normally employed to inspect the coating of paint to determine whether'the painting is satisfactory or the piece should be rejected and repainted. It is apparent, therefore, that the cost of handling the work pieces from the time they are inspected before painting, until they are inspected after painting, has been entirely eliminated, since no manual labor is involved other than inspectionr which is necessary regardless of the method of handling the work pieces. Therefore, the cost of Inaking work pieces of this type has been matev riall i reduced.

ent invention as herein disclosed, constitutes a preferred form, it is to be understood that other forms might be adopted, all coming within the scope of the claims which follow.

What is claimed is as follows: 1. Work handling a paratus comprising,

hile the form of embodiment of the presl in combination, an un oading table, a conveyor having a work hanger which travels.

above the table, means for positively locking the work pieces upon the hanger, means for 'moving the table toward the hanger in order ioo ing table and for automatically releasing the work piece locking means, said devices operating automatically in response to movement of the han er into a certain relative to the uifloading table.

3. Work handling' apparatus comprising, in combination, a conveyor having work supporting devices each providedv with a meniher movable into different `positionsforrespectively retaining or releasing the work position pieces, a table having a platform for receiving work pieces and movable toward and away from a supporting device, means for producing movement of the platform, a movable locking member for locking the same in non-operating position, a movable lockingm'ember urged toward the retaining member for locking the same in Work-retaining position, and means operated by the platform Vfor retracting the first mentioned locking member from the retaining member and for moving the retaining member into workretaining position; and other means for reresinas tracting the second mentioned locking member from the work-retaining member.

4., Work handling apparatus comprising, in combination, a conveyor having work supporting devices each provided wlth a memer movable into different positions for respectively retaining or releasing the work ieces, a table having a platform'for receiving work pieces and movable verticallytoward and away from a supporting device, means for producing movement of the platform, two gravity operated locking members movable respectively into locking engagement with the work-retaining member when in its respective positions, means o erated by the table for lifting one of the oeking members, and then moving the workeretaininfr member into a different position, and other means for lifting the other locking member from the work-retaining member.

5. Work handling apparatus comprising, in combination, a conveyor having work supporting devices each having a member movable into different positions for respectively retaining or releasing the work'pieces and each having devices for positively locking the work retaining member in retaining or releasing positions, tables having similar work supporting transfer platforms movable toward and away from the supporting devices, similar apparatuses for producing movement of the table platforms toward and away from the supporting devices, similar controlling devices responsive to movement of the supporting devices for causing the apparatuses to operate to move plat orms toward the supporting devices and then to release the platforms to permit the platforms l to recede from the supporting devices; means provided by the elevating platform and operable upon upward movement thereof first to unlock the work piece retaining member and to move it from its releasin to its retaining position, and means provided by the lowering platform and operable upon upward movement thereof first to unlock the work piece retaining member and to move it from its retaining to its releasing position.

6. Vork handling apparatus comprising,

in combination, a conveyor including a carriage; a work-retaining latch on the carriage; means for positively locking the latch in retaining and in non-retaining positions; means controlled by the movement of the conveyor for conveying work pieces to the carriage and for operating the locking means and then moving the latch into retaining position; and other means controlled by the movement of the conveyor for operating the locking means and then moving the latch into non-retaining position, and for conveying work pieces away from the carriage.

7 Work handling apparatus comprising, in combination, a conveyor'including hanggage the lowest work piece to retain said stack upon the hanger; means for positively locking the latch in retaining position; a lowering platform adapted to receive a stack of work pieces, said platform having means for unlocking the latch and for moving the gripping latch to release the work pieces from the hanger whereby the lowering of the platform Will remove the stack of work pieces' from the hanger; and devices controlled by the operation of the conveyor to control the operation of the two platforms in accordance with the position of the hangers.

8. l/Vork handling apparatus comprising, in combination, a conveyor including a. hanger; a latch for securing work pieces upon the hanger; a member for positively locking the latch in movable work retaining positions; a work transfer device for placing work pieces upon the hanger; means for causing the latch to be locked automatically in work retaining position in response to movement of the work transfer device; a movable work transfer device for receiving work pieces from the hanger; means operated by movement of the receiving device for automatically unlocking the latch and for moving it into work releasing position; and means for operating the transfer devices.

9. Work handling apparatus comprising, in combination, a conveyor having a hanger for receiving work pieces; a work-retaining latch upon the hanger and movable into retaining and non-retaining positions; two locking members supported by the hanger andmovable upon the latch, one lockingly enga ging the latch when in work-retaining position and the other lockingly engaging the latch when in non-retaining position; a conveyor for moving work pieces to the han er and devices movable therewith for retractlng the locking member which locks the latch in non-retain1ng position, and then for moving the latch into retaining position; and a conveyor for removing work pieces from the hanger and devices movable' therewith for retracting the locking member which locks the latch in work-retaining position and then for movin the latch into non-retaining position.

10. ork handling apparatus comprising, in combination, a conveyor having a hanger; a latch carried by the hanger and movable into work-retaining and non-retaining positions; two locking members movable upon the latch and respectively lockingly-engaging the latch when in work-retaining and nonretaining positions; a transfer conveyor for moving work pieces to the hanger and devices -lois carried thereby for retracting both locking members and for movin the latch into workretaining position and or holdin the latch in said position-until after the lato is locked in this position; a second transfer conveyor for removing work pieces'from the hanger and devices carried thereby for retractmg only the locking member which locks the latch in work-retaining position and for then movin the latch into non-retaining position.

1l. Vork handling apparatus comprising, in combination, a conveyor having a hanger adapted to eXtend through a stack of tubular work pieces and carrying at its lower end a tubular latch bracket; a pair of oppositely disposed latch'esl pivotally supported by the side Wall of the bracket, and movable from a non-retaining position within the outer surface of the bracket to a work-retaining osition under the stack of work-pieces; a ocking member guided for vertical sliding movement by the latch bracket and having a down wardly extending annular flange which, when the latches are in work-retaining position, is received concurrently by recesses in the latches; a rod carried centrally by the lookin member and extending downwardly an within the annular ange; a second locking member surrounding the rod and guided for vertical sliding movement thereby and having an outwardly extending circular ange which, when the latches are in non-retaining position, is received, concurrently by other recesses in the latches; a transfer conveyor for moving work pieces to the hanger and devices carried thereby for retracting both locking members and for moving the latches into work-retaining position and for holding the latches in said position until after the latches are locked in this position; a second transfer conveyor for removing work pieces from the hanger and devices carried thereby for retracting only the first mentioned locking member and for then movin the latches into non-retainin position.

n testimony whereof I hereto my signature.

RUSSELL W. BAKER. 

